Method and system for the interactive testing of assembled wireless communication devices

Abstract

A method and system for the interactive testing of assembled wireless communication devices is provided. The method comprises: assembling the wireless communication devices to include at least one interactive test component for interactively testing the wireless communication device in one or more interactive tests requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the at least one interactive test component; and testing the wireless communication devices comprising performing an interactive test using the at least one interactive test component at an interactive test stage of the production line.

1. A method for testing wireless communication devices in stages in a production line for the assembly of the wireless communication devices, the method comprising:
 assembling the wireless communication devices to include at least one interactive test component for interactively testing the wireless communication device in one or more interactive tests requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the at least one interactive test component; and 
 testing the wireless communication devices comprising performing an interactive test using the at least one interactive test component at an interactive test stage of the production line, 
 wherein the interactive test is performed at the interactive test stage without an external test system. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a respective result of the interactive test within a memory of the respective wireless communication device. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising accessing the respective result from the respective wireless communication device at a non-interactive test stage for at least one of storing the respective result to an external testing database and non-interactive testing of the respective wireless communication device, the non-interactive testing comprising one or more non-interactive tests requiring no physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the wireless communication device. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, in the non-interactive test stage, coupling each wireless communication device to an external testing system for performing at least one of the storing and non-interactive testing. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the coupling further comprises coupling the each device to a test fixture for coupling to the external testing system, the fixture comprising no mechanical dynamics for actuating the wireless communication devices. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one interactive test component is a user input device of the wireless communication device or a holstering sensor of the wireless communication device for detecting when the wireless communication device has been holstered. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the interactive test stage and non-interactive test stage are spatially separated in the production line. 
   
   
     8. A method of testing assembled wireless communication devices in a production line, the method comprising:
 receiving an assembled wireless communication device in the production line for testing in accordance with a plurality of tests comprising: one or more interactive tests each requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the wireless communication device; and one or more non-interactive tests each comprising non-mechanical tests without physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the wireless communication device; 
 performing each of the interactive tests using an interactive test component assembled into the wireless communication device at an interactive test stage of the production line; and 
 performing the non-interactive tests at a non-interactive test stage of the production line. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising storing a result of the interactive test within a memory of the wireless communication device. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, at the non-interactive test stage, accessing the result from the memory of the wireless communication device for at least one of storing to an external testing database and controlling the performing of the non-interactive tests. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising coupling the wireless communication device to an external testing system for performing the non-interactive tests. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising storing a result of the interactive test to an external testing database. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling further comprises coupling the wireless communication device to a test fixture for coupling to the external testing system, the fixture comprising no mechanical dynamics for actuating the wireless communication devices. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one interactive test component is a user input device of the wireless communication device or a holstering sensor of the wireless communication device for detecting when the wireless communication device has been holstered. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the interactive test stage and non-interactive test stage are spatially separated in the production line. 
   
   
     16. A production line testing system for testing wireless communication devices during assembly, the production line comprising:
 an interactive test stage for performing interactive testing on assembled wireless communication devices using at least one interactive test component assembled into the wireless communication devices, the interactively testing comprising one or more interactive tests requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the at least one interactive test component; and 
 a non-interactive test stage for non-interactively testing assembled wireless communication devices. 
 
   
   
     17. The production line testing system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more interactive tests are performed at the interactive test stage without an external test system. 
   
   
     18. The production line testing system of  claim 16 , wherein the non-interactive test stage comprises one or more non-interactive tests each comprising non-mechanical tests without physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the wireless communication device. 
   
   
     19. The production line testing system of  claim 18 , wherein the non-interactive test stage comprises an external testing system for performing the non-interactive tests. 
   
   
     20. The production line testing system of  claim 19 , wherein the external testing system is responsive to a test result of the interactive test stage. 
   
   
     21. The production line testing system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one interactive test component is a user input device of the wireless communication device or a holstering sensor of the wireless communication device for detecting when the wireless communication device has been holstered. 
   
   
     22. The production line testing system of  claim 16 , wherein the interactive test stage and non-interactive test stage are spatially separated in the production line. 
   
   
     23. A wireless communication device comprising a communications subsystem, input and output devices, a memory, a display, and at least one interactive test component for interactively testing the device in one or more interactive tests requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the at least one interactive test components,
 wherein the at least one interactive test component stores a result of the interactive testing for at least one of subseciuent storing to an external testing database and controlling subseciuent non-interactive testing of the device. 
 
   
   
     24. A method for testing wireless communication devices in stages in a production line for the assembly of the wireless communication devices, the method comprising:
 assembling the wireless communication devices to include at least one interactive test component for interactively testing the wireless communication device in one or more interactive tests requiring physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the at least one interactive test component; and 
 interactively testing the wireless communication devices comprising performing an interactive test using the at least one interactive test component at an interactive test stage of the production line; 
 wherein all of the one or more interactive tests to be performed on the wireless communication devices are performed in a single interactive test stage. 
 
   
   
     25. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising non-interactively testing the wireless communication devices comprising performing one or more non-interactive tests requiring no physical actuation or mechanical dynamics to be performed on the wireless communication device. 
   
   
     26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein all of the one or more non-interactive tests to be performed on the wireless communication devices are performed in a single non-interactive test stage. 
   
   
     27. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of non-interactively testing the wireless communication devices comprising accessing a respective result from the interactive test performed in the interactive test stage from a memory of the respective wireless communication device. 
   
   
     28. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising, before the step of non-interactively testing, coupling each wireless communication device to an external testing system, and storing the respective result in an external testing database of the external testing system for use in the non-interactive tests. 
   
   
     29. The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of coupling comprises coupling each wireless communication device to a test fixture coupled to the external testing system, the test fixture comprising no mechanical dynamics for actuating the wireless communication devices.